Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology of language is primarily concerned with exploring the relationship between language and consciousness, and how language shapes our experience of the world.

For Merleau-Ponty, the fundamental characteristic of language is its capacity for self-expression, its ability to allow us to express our thoughts, feelings, and experiences to others.

The "lived body" is a term used by Merleau-Ponty to refer to the physical body as it is experienced from the inside, as a subject of consciousness.

Merleau-Ponty's concept of the "lived body" is significant for his phenomenology of language because it shows how language is rooted in our bodily experience, and how our bodily movements and gestures shape our linguistic expressions.

For Merleau-Ponty, language plays multiple roles: it is a tool for communication, a means of self-expression, and a way of understanding the world.

Merleau-Ponty argues that language and perception are mutually constitutive, meaning that they shape and influence each other. Our linguistic expressions are influenced by our perceptions, and our perceptions are shaped by the language we use.

Merleau-Ponty's concept of "intersubjectivity" is significant for his phenomenology of language because it shows how language is a social phenomenon, how it allows us to communicate with others, and how it is rooted in our shared experiences.

One of the main criticisms of Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology of language is that it is too focused on the individual and neglects the social aspects of language, such as the role of language in communication and the influence of social and cultural factors on linguistic expressions.

Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology of language is distinctive in its focus on the relationship between language and consciousness, and its emphasis on the role of the body and lived experience in shaping linguistic expressions.

Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology of language has significant implications for contemporary debates in linguistics and philosophy of language, as it challenges traditional notions of language, emphasizes the importance of embodiment and lived experience, and highlights the role of intersubjectivity and social interaction in language use.